Confronting and Repressing
by smallmagpie
Summary: At a charity ball, Beast Boy tries to talk to Raven about his feelings. Raven isn't ready to do that, but will she ever be? BBRae, with minor mentions of RobStar Author: This is my first fic, and kind of cliche at times. I hope this will get me in the zone to write more. Rated M as a precaution.
1. Chapter 1

Raven felt a small headache start to form behind her eyes. Clothing stores were her nightmare. There were too many people, filled with excitement or frustration or anxiety. Too many people figuring out that their size had changed or whatever dream outfit they had in their mind looked like a misshapen garbage bag in reality. Mothers brought their screaming, snotty children, and everyone stared at her because they knew who she was. Plus, the music was way too loud.

She only came here after weeks of begging from Starfire, and a well-reasoned argument. They were required to attend some kind of hero charity ball at a ridiculous mansion, and black tie was required. Raven had some street clothes and blouses, but nothing that would stand up to the scrutiny of Jump City's elite. Starfire had tried on what seemed like a whole rack of dresses, all gorgeous on her, and modeled them for the watching crowd. Raven kind of hoped she would wear herself out and they could leave before she herself had to find a dress. Maybe she could order something decent online.

"Friend Raven," Star said softly, approaching with her hands held ominously behind her back, "I know you do not enjoy the pink or the sequins, so I am hoping this might be agreeable?"

Starfire smiled tentatively and held out a floor length dress. Raven looked it over with mild surprise.

"Uh, yeah. That actually looks really nice. Thanks, Star."

The alien barely suppressed her squeal of delight.

"Please, will you do the modeling of it? You must be assured that it fits well!"

A ball of apprehension formed in Raven's stomach at the thought of wearing a dress in front of all of these _people_ , but even she found it hard to deny Starfire's pleading eyes. She gritted her teeth and slipped into the nearest dressing room. Raven disrobed and pulled the dress on as quickly as possible, and immediately marched out to get her friend's approval. She was hoping to get the ordeal over with before any civilians saw her, or she saw herself.

"Is this alright?" she asked.

Starfire's eyes grew wide and she immediately lifted off of the ground.

"Raven, you look beautiful!"

She felt her cheeks color at the comment. She was used to Starfire's never-ending compliments, but something about the earnestness in her voice combined with the blatant ogling of passersby made Raven feel embarrassed. Half-curious, half-afraid, she turned to face the large mirrors on the store wall.

She did look...beautiful. Or something like it. The dress was a plum crushed velvet, and it hugged her figure well. A slit ran up the left side that Raven wasn't initially too happy about, but she did have to admit that the contrast of her pale skin against the fabric was attractive in a haunting kind of way. Her gaze ran up to her own body, over her head, and met the shining green eyes of her friend, and, in a rare moment, Raven smiled.

**O***O***O***O** 

"I hate these ties," Beast Boy grumbled, pulling at his dress shirt, "It feels like it's choking me."

"I thought you'd be used to it, grass stain. People always make their pets wear collars."

Beast Boy glared at Cyborg, who was looking comfortably dashing in a tuxedo. Robin coughed to cover up a laugh as he stared at his communicator, also appearing nonchalant in his red shirt and suit. Only the green Titan felt out of sorts in the fancy attire. He had picked up a suit with a purple dress shirt some years ago at Robin's insistence. They had to maintain a good image, their leader had said, and that included wearing formal clothes and going to formal events.

Cyborg took pity on Beast Boy and began fixing his tie, grumbling about his incompetence in a brotherly way. Beast Boy heard the common room doors open behind him, but stuck as he was with Cyborg pulling on his neck, he had to judge what Starfire looked like from Robin's reaction.

Apparently, she looked really good.

The redhead herself let out a gasp of delight and suddenly flew into view, circling Robin once before putting her feet on the ground.

"Boyfriend Robin, you look most handsome!"

Robin was unable to form a sentence as his face deepened to match his shirt. Cyborg and Beast Boy exchanged a glance and snickers. Starfire did look fantastic in her long, pastel green gown. It suited her eyes and her body. To be fair, Starfire always looked fantastic, and it still _always_ took Robin off-guard.

 _I guess that's love for ya_ , Beast Boy thought. Cyborg finished with his tie and glanced over his head at the doors.

"Yo, Raven, lookin' good!" he yelled, giving her a warm smile and a cheesy thumbs up. Beast Boy turned around to look at his friend and felt his stomach drop through the floor.

Raven had always been pretty, in his opinion, and the Raven right now threw him for a loop. Her dark purple dress accentuated her figure almost too well, and her hair was pulled half-back into a mess of curls. Starfire must have done her makeup. Her eyes looked smokey and enticing, while her lips sported just a subtle gloss.

"You look very nice, Raven," he heard Robin say from somewhere that sounded far off.

The empath nodded and walked further into the room to join her friends. She caught Beast Boy's eye and arched an eyebrow quizzically, which made him realize that his mouth was hanging open. He closed it with a too audible _snap_.

"Glad you learned how to tie a tie, at last," she said dryly, gesturing at his shirt.

Beast Boy felt himself blush and chuckle nervously. Cyborg said something he didn't hear, fixated as he was on her eyes. He felt similar to when Cinderblock had thrown him headfirst through a billboard and Raven had to heal his multiple skull fractures. Everything was in a daze and his mind couldn't get off of that image of her standing in the doorway. He didn't fully come back to reality until they were at the ball.

"Snap out of it!" Cyborg ordered, waving his hand in front of his friend's face.

"W-what?" Beast Boy blinked several times and shook his head. He quickly processed the ornate room they were in, complete with an over-large chandelier and live jazz band.

"You've been out of your head for like twenty minutes!"

"Oh! Heh. Sorry. I...I guess it must be nerves. Lots of people to impress and all that."

Beast Boy took a sip of some champagne that he only half-remembered getting. Cyborg crossed his arms and stared him down.

"You know, you kinda seemed a bit off since you saw Raven in that dress."

Beast Boy inhaled his drink up his nose and immediately began coughing. Nearby socialites sent him dirty looks and stepped away from the splash zone.

"No way, man!" Beast Boy squealed, bracing his hand on his knees as he waited for the bubbles to leave his nose. His shrill response was more confirmation than if he had just admitted to it.

Cyborg leaned in slightly and lowered his voice, "I get it, man. She's beautiful, and I know you've had a thing for her for a while."

Beast Boy straightened up and opened his mouth to protest, but Cyborg held up a finger.

"You don't tease Star like you tease Raven. You don't go out of the way for any of us like you do for her," Cyborg paused and smiled slightly, "And you don't fight with any of us like you fight with her. Just don't hurt her, because if you hurt her, I'll have to hurt you, and as fun as it sounds, I don't wanna do that."

Cyborg patted Beast Boy's shoulder and moved away before he could respond. Not that he had a response, anyway. He knew he had a crush on Raven, he just didn't know it had been so obvious to everyone else. Was it that obvious to her?

His eyes sought her out in the crowd. She was standing off in a corner, sipping on her own drink. A cluster of men near her were shooting her curious looks and seemed to be working up the energy to speak with her. Beast Boy wasn't sure exactly what he was doing, but he found his feet making their way over there, and the rest of him followed.

Raven glanced up at him approaching, and she visibly relaxed. Affection warmed his heart as he realized how much she trusted him, or at least preferred his company to a stranger's. That was something.

"How are you holding up?" he muttered to her, eyeing the lurking guests.

"I hate this," she answered bluntly, "I can't tell anyone to leave me alone because Robin says it would be bad press, but these people get so creepy, and that's saying something coming from me."

Beast Boy laughed. Some of the men glared in his direction. He could read their body language and understand their jealousy. Here was this amazing woman, and she would rather talk to a green string bean than any of them.

"Hey, do you want to dance?"

Raven jerked her head up in surprise. His face heated up as he processed that he had just asked her on impulse.

"I mean," he paused to swallow and Raven followed the motion of his Adam's apple with her eyes, "It would get you away from these weirdos. Honestly most of them want to ask you to dance, so if you're already dancing with me, they won't be able to...but only like, if you want to...I mean don't feel pressured or anything, like it doesn't matter to me at all! I just wanted to help - "

Raven raised her hand to stop his rambling. A beat of silence stretched between them before she put down her glass and gestured for him to lead the way to the dance floor.


	2. Chapter 2

She had no idea what he was doing, but she had to admit that she was curious to find out. Beast Boy had asked her to dance, and she would have to be a fool to have overlooked his reaction to her outfit. Maybe she was bored, or she really did want to distance herself from the leering men. For whatever reason, she followed Beast Boy out to the crowd of couples.

He stopped and turned to face her, and at that moment she realized that she had no idea how to dance. She had seen it in Starfire's romantic movies and read about it in books, but doing it was a whole different story. Beast Boy seemed to notice her apprehension and took charge. He silently lifted her right hand to his shoulder, took her left hand in his own, and, after a brief hesitation, placed his free hand on her waist. And then he stepped to the side, and forward, and to the side, and back. Repeat.

After a few moments, Raven relaxed. This wasn't so bad. Just stepping...and holding hands. She looked up at Beast Boy, who returned her gaze with a small smile.

"You do look really nice," he said softly. Raven blushed. Obviously she already knew he thought that, but hearing him say it and feeling the affection roll off of him in waves impacted her more.

"Beautiful, even," he continued. More affection. Raven released a shaky breath.

"What is it with you?" she asked. She hadn't intended to sound accusing. She averted her eyes and looked out into the crowd.

"Hmm? With what?"

"The…" Raven sighed in exasperation as she tried to find a way to say this that made sense, "The emotions. Your emotions."

"My emotions?" Beast Boy repeated dumbly.

"Yeah!" Raven turned back and looked him in the face, immediately wishing that she hadn't. His was so earnest and open, albeit a bit confused at this moment.

"You always feel so much, and that makes me feel so much. It's so... _much_ ," she explained lamely.

Beast Boy paused for a moment and thought this over before speaking.

"Do you not like it?"

Raven was caught off guard by his question. She honestly didn't know where this conversation was going and she already regretted starting it.

"No! I mean, yes. Er. I do. I do like it."

Beast Boy was smiling for some reason. Raven was blushing again.

"So what's the problem?" he asked.

"I...I guess there isn't one," she said, staring at his shoulder now, "Sorry, I think the champagne got to me."

They lapsed into a silence. She hoped he would just drop it. Of course, Beast Boy never seemed to do what she wanted.

"What am I feeling right now?"

Raven looked him in the eyes again, alarmed. She could feel his genuine curiosity, as well as that ever-present affection. Something about saying it out loud felt...invasive. Intimate. She didn't respond.

"Aw, come on, Rae," he whined, "You have this cool superpower that no one else has!"

"I can't throw starblots but I don't ask Starfire to do it for my entertainment," she replied icily.

"You know what I mean. Starbolts don't read my mind."

"I don't either," she countered, "I just feel emotions. Besides, you can smell things I can't and read body language. It's basically the same thing. You can probably interpret hormones…"

Beast Boy raised his eyebrows as she trailed off, but thankfully didn't pursue that train of thought.

"Just tell me what I'm feeling, just once, _please_ ," he begged, giving her captive hand a squeeze.

"You're not going to let this drop, are you?" she groaned.

He shook his head and smiled his signature toothy grin.

"Fine. Whatever. You're feeling...you're happy that I'm playing along."

Beast Boy scoffed, "Well, I knew that!"

"You know _everything_. They are _your_ emotions."

She fixed him with a stern look. He kept politely quiet and waited.

"So," she continued, "You're happy I'm playing along. You're curious, obviously, because you asked a question. Mainly, you're feeling...affectionate."

She saw his green skin darken and he looked over her head, apparently lost in thought.

"Affectionate," he repeated, his voice a bit lower than usual.

Raven suddenly felt claustrophobic. She was hyper-aware of Beast Boy touching her and their closeness in proximity. The air around them felt unreasonably warm.

"You always feel affection," she reasoned, fighting down a small panic, "For Cyborg, for Robin, Starfire, your fans. That's normal for you."

"Hmm," was his only reply.

"And it makes complete sense here," she continued hurriedly, "We're surrounded by fans. Worshipers, really. Of course you would be feeling that when you're around them."

Beast Boy smiled, but it looked painful. His eyes found their way down to hers once more, and it was hard to look away.

"You know that's not the same," he said, still in that too-low voice.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Her mouth felt dry.

"You know everything. You feel emotions. You know my affection for them isn't the same as it is for you."

They had stopped dancing. Raven broke the silence too soon.

"Garfield, you know we can't - "

"And I know what you feel for them isn't the same as what you feel for me."

Raven let out a gasp that almost sounded indignant.

" _Excuse me?_ Where do you get that idea?"

Beast Boy was smiling at her, which only fueled her irritation. _Where did he get off assuming what her feelings are?_

"Because we're dancing."

Her mouth hung open slightly. Her irritation turned to anger, mixed with shock and an embarrassment that she tried to ignore.

"I asked you to dance. It was your decision, and here we are dancing," he continued, "I don't think you would dance with someone unless you actually wanted to. Besides, it's like you said, I can smell things, and read body language, and hormones…"

" _Garfield_ ," Raven scolded, smacking his chest. He didn't seem phased at all. He was enraging.

"Oh, right, you also call me by my name, which no one else does," he added.

Raven jerked away from him, breaking their embrace, and crossed her arms. She could feel the disappointment pulse through him from her reaction, but right now she didn't care.

"You are out of your goddamn mind, _Beast Boy_. Don't you dare tell me how I feel. You don't know anything."

With that, she spun on her heel and stalked off into the crowd, leaving a very hurt and confused changeling on the dance floor.

**O***O***O***O** 

Raven had been attempting to meditate since they left the ball, to no avail. Her thoughts and emotions kept swirling out of her control. Anger at Beast Boy, embarrassment at herself for dressing up and dancing to begin with, but the emotion slowly taking the forefront was guilt.

Beast Boy had bared himself to her, basically indicating that he cared for her in a more-than-friends way, and she had completely blown past it. She had left him hurt and vulnerable. Despite their fights and his never-ending overconfidence, she cared about him.

Something in her room shattered from her energy. Clearly this wasn't working. She came out of her meditation and lowered down onto her bed. Barely a second passed before a quiet knock sounded on her door. She already knew who it was, and why he was there. His guilt was almost as strong as her own. Of course he would feel like it was his fault.

She opened her door, and the two of them simply stared at each other for a moment. Raven had half a mind to slam the door shut again and not have this conversation, but after how cruel she was, she kind of owed it to him to clear this up. She stepped to the side and gestured for him to come in.

Beast Boy walked in, nervous energy mixing with the guilt. He couldn't seem to look at her for long periods of time, and only darted glances between her and her room. He inhaled deeply.

"Raven - "

"Don't apologize," she interrupted. He was so surprised that he looked at her fully.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I _am_ sorry," she continued, "I got defensive and I lashed out. You didn't deserve that."

Beast Boy relaxed slightly, almost smiling, which made it harder for her to keep talking even though she knew that she must.

"But about what you said - about...affection...and me...that can't happen."

It was as if she really did slam a door in Beast Boy's face. Raven tried to ignore whatever he might be feeling. She could not be swayed in this.

"Why?" he asked blankly.

"Because I can't be a normal person like that. I have to keep my emotions in check. That can't work."

She could almost see the gears turning behind his eyes, and too late she realized that she hadn't exactly said that she _didn't_ have feelings for him, just that she _shouldn't_.

"How do you know it won't work if you don't try?" he asked, taking a step forward.

Raven blinked. She hadn't expected him to put up a fight.

"Because...it can't, Beast Boy. It just can't."

"That doesn't sound like a real answer."

Another step forward. They were as close together as they were on the dance floor. A twinge of Raven's irritation returned.

"Why won't you accept that some things can't change?" she growled.

"Why won't you accept that everything changes?" he growled back.

He moved forward again. They were practically nose to nose. His emotions were swirling around the room, threatening to drown her. Anger, frustration, fear, and above all else, _need_. Like the need for food or water. The overwhelming conviction that he didn't just want her, he needed her. To survive. To live.

"Garfield, I'm not the one for you," she whispered. Even saying it, her gaze dropped down to rest on his lips. She had never kissed anyone before. She didn't have any idea what it would feel like.

"I think you're afraid," he said softly. Raven swallowed as his emotions shifted. Affection, kindness, the desire to protect, _need_.

He leaned closer. His breath was hot on her face. Her legs felt weak. Would it be so bad, just to do it once? Surely the world wouldn't explode. The world could grant her this one moment.

His eyes half-closed, but he didn't come closer. This was like dancing. The offer was on the table, but only if she wanted it.

" _Gar_."

And then the alarm went off. They both stared at each other, barely an inch apart, as the room suddenly flashed red and their communicators started beeping. Robin's voice echoed through the room, calling the team together.

Raven stepped back. Beast Boy kept looking at her.

"We have to go," she told him, her voice shaking when she wished it wouldn't. She didn't wait for his reply before running out of the room. Behind her, she felt his emotions shift again. She told herself that it didn't feel like grief.


	3. Chapter 3

It turned out that the governor's ball had been a front for a drug deal. He and his cohorts hoped that the fans and flashing lights would be distraction enough for the Titans, until a poor civilian happened to get lost in the mansion and walked into the wrong room at the wrong time. It escalated into a hostage situation that they were able to diffuse through Robin's good reasoning and Raven's teleportation. Obviously, the governor was removed from office, and Robin made a very impressive speech.

As for her and Beast Boy, they more or less went back to normal. Raven lived in a state of high anxiety for the following days that he might corner her and try to talk about it again, but he kept a healthy distance. Sure, he teased her less and generally looked over her head rather than at her eyes when they did talk, but it was so, so much better than actually confronting their _feelings_. Raven certainly wasn't going to bring it up. She had thought for a moment that the world would let her have this, and the world, very clearly, answered in the negative.

The anxious days turned into calmer weeks. The weeks turned into months. And the months turned into years. Five years, exactly.

Five years of pseudo-normalcy. Robin and Starfire matured individually and as a couple. Robin now went by the name Nightwing, but he allowed his teammates to use his real name, Dick. It was a massive leap of trust for him, and Starfire couldn't stop beaming the entire day that he announced it. She herself opted to go by an abbreviation of her Tamaranean name, Kori, as well as her hero name. Both of them seemed more in love than ever, if that was even possible. Being around them gave Raven an emotional lift, and sometimes a headache.

Cyborg was still Cyborg, plus some upgrades. He and Beast Boy (now, Changeling, who altered his name first and then claimed everyone else was just copying him) had become two of Jump City's most sought-after bachelors. Cyborg did his best to keep his physical endeavors from disrupting the team, having his nightly visitors use a separate entrance and go through a background check for security purposes. Changeling was less tactful. Some nights he didn't come home, but waltzed in the next morning reeking of cheap perfume. Occasionally, a bubbly, sporty blonde would appear in their living room and try to make conversation before he ushered her out the door. Sadly, each of them seemed convinced that they would become a regular staple of the Titan's household, but Changeling never brought the same girl home twice.

Dick had expressed his dislike of what they called the Blonde Parade, but Kori persuaded him that their friend may well find love this way, and they should be supportive. Raven found it...irritating. It was clear from his emotional state that he was not in the market for love with these women. He was always filled with such apathy as they showered him with kisses and compliments. If he wasn't interested in them, why did he insist on _flaunting_ them throughout the tower?

Raven glowered as yet another one waved goodbye before stepping onto the elevator. This one said "dude" far more than what was acceptable, even by Cyborg or Changeling's standards, and Kori nearly exploded from delight when she mentioned that she liked her dress. She was a less-than-appealing sight for Sunday breakfast.

"She was most kind!" Kori exclaimed once the Parade had left, "I did enjoy her company, but I did not ask her name. What was it, Changeling?"

The green Titan grabbed an apple from the table and shrugged.

"I think it was Sam or Susie or something."

Kori was visibly disappointed by his lack of interest. Dick arched an eyebrow at him.

"You're disgusting," Raven muttered over her mug of tea. He didn't seem to hear her.

"Mail time!" Cyborg shouted as the elevator opened again. He carried a stack of packages and envelopes that he dropped unceremoniously among the food. He exchanged a silent fist bump with Changeling, no doubt having seen his most recent conquest on her way out.

Kori snatched up the packages with a gasp, "Our admirers have sent me more gifts of clothing!"

"Yeah, uh, let's make sure we wash those first, Kori," Dick advised with apprehension.

"This looks like a letter from the mayor or government or some official stuff," Changeling said, tossing an envelope at Dick as he sorted through the rest, "Why do our admirers never send me video games?"

"Because they're too busy occupying your bed," Raven deadpanned. Changeling's ears twitched but he elected not to respond.

"Oh. It looks like the new governor is reinstating the charity ball as an expression of gratitude," Dick sat down his coffee as he looked over the paper. Kori abandoned her packages and floated over his shoulder, reading.

"Next month!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together, "This is wonderful! I have been missing the opportunities for being fancy!"

"Should we be skeptical, considering what happened last time?" Cyborg asked.

"Definitely, but this time we're prepared…"

Dick continued laying out his thoughts for the ball, but Raven didn't hear them. She nervously glanced at Changeling, who looked unimpressed, still munching on his apple. His emotions were quite calm; he almost seemed bored. Raven felt a flash of annoyance. Did he really not remember? Had their almost-whatever-happened already left his memory in the endless stream of surfer chicks? Not that she cared, anyway, but it was the principle of the thing.

"Raven, we must do the shopping!"

She jerked back to reality as Kori hovered in front of her face.

"Uh, I mean, I still have the dress from last time. It probably still fits."

"No!" Kori immediately whipped out her puppy dog eyes, "You cannot wear the same dress! In the magazines it is most unfashionable!"

Raven's eyes drifted back over to Changeling, who was staring at the same spot on an advertisement and didn't appear to be taking it in. She remembered his hand on her waist, on the velvet of the dress...

"You know...you're right, Star," she said slowly, returning the redhead's smile, "I probably should get something new."


	4. Chapter 4

"I am attempting the sophistication!"

Raven looked over at Starfire and let out a laugh. A wall clothing rack suddenly fell over from her outburst, but she didn't mind. Kori had put on a floor length, dark maroon dress, with sleeves down to the wrists and a button-up neck. This was the least amount of skin she had ever shown.

"You don't have to cover yourself up to be sophisticated," Raven told her, suppressing another giggle.

The alien smiled sheepishly, "Perhaps I have gone too far in my attempt. I merely want to look proper for Richard."

"Dick doesn't care what you wear. His eyes will fall out of his head regardless."

Star blushed and nodded, returning to the pile of dresses she had picked out. There was a pause of silence as they both browsed.

"If I may ask, Raven, what style of dress are you looking for?"

Raven glanced at her friend. Something about the tone of Star's voice seemed to indicate that her mind was on something, but Raven couldn't figure it out.

"I dunno. I suppose whatever looks nice on me."

Kori was definitely beaming now as she pulled a dress from her pile.

"In that case, might I suggest this one? You did wear something awfully... _sophisticated_...last time. Perhaps this would be a good change?"

The dress in question was dark blue and glittering. It featured thin straps, a deep V neck, and an even higher slit up the side than last time. Raven groaned as she took it in her hands and realized that, of course, it was also backless.

"Kori, why? This barely covers anything!"

Her friend's eyes twinkled mischievously, "Well, if I am to be the sophisticated one, who is to be revealing?"

Raven almost laughed at Kori's self-awareness.

"You're going to make me try it on, aren't you?"

Kori nodded vigorously. Raven rolled her eyes.

In the dressing room, she contentedly thought over her friendship with Koriand'r. Months after the Changeling incident, she had finally broken down and shared it with her friend. It had felt wrong to have a secret between them, especially when Kori was always so open and supportive of her. While she did ask a few more probing questions than Raven preferred, Kori respected her privacy and appreciated her trust. They had gone on more shopping trips and had more girls nights in the following years, and, on the other hand, Kori learned how to make Raven's favorite tea (sans mustard) and frequently was the main Titan to care for her if she fell sick. That used to be Changeling's role, but since he seemed so busy with his lady friends…

Raven pushed the thought aside as she viewed herself in the stall mirror. She didn't want to walk out there if too much was showing. In her opinion, it was too much, but it also looked good. Good enough that Kori was going to make her buy it. Raven smirked and shook her head before stepping out.

"FANTASTIC!" Kori bellowed. Raven nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound, and every nearby shopper turned to look in her direction. Kori clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Sorry," she whispered, removing her hand and stepping closer, "I was perhaps too enthusiastic. You do look splendid."

Raven felt herself blushing all over. She turned to look in the public mirror, mainly to avoid the stares of passersby. The dress wasn't so bad, really. She felt a bit chilly and maybe a bit exposed, but she could get used to it. She ignored people looking at her on any given day, so why shouldn't she at least look nice while doing it?

"I must say, you do look most alluring," Kori proclaimed quietly, "So alluring that you may attract the attention of our friend Change - "

" _Kori!_ "

The redhead jumped at Raven's sudden anger.

"What are you even talking about?"

They stared at each other in the mirror, Raven crossing her arms and waiting for an answer, while Kori's face shifted from surprise to apprehension, and finally settled on determination.

"Raven, you _must_ acknowledge that you feel - "

"I _must_ acknowledge nothing," Raven replied, still glaring into the mirror.

Kori let out a low growl of frustration and flew around her friend, landing directly in front of her and crossing her arms as well.

"You must stop this!" she scolded, fighting to keep her voice down. Raven resisted the impulse to flinch. As scary as she claimed to be, she didn't have anything on an angry Tamaranean.

"You must stop the lying! You are always watching him and being angry with him for nothing! And him! He is always bringing home nice girls to upset you and to cover his hurt and - "

Kori abruptly stopped talking as her mouth fell open. The two women stared at one another.

"I'm sorry, what?" Raven asked blankly.

"I said nothing!" Kori whispered shrilly, failing her arms around, "I have not said a thing!"

"What are you talking about?"

The Tamaranean twisted a strand of her hair around her fingers anxiously and avoided her gaze. Raven took a step forward and lowered her voice.

"Kori, did Garfield say something to you?"

"N-not exactly," she twisted her hair around faster, knotting it, "I may have heard him speaking to friend Cyborg in our hall. They did not know I was near."

"What did he say?"

Star finally looked her in the eyes, determination rapidly returning, "I will not betray Changeling's confidence! If you wish to know...you may speak to him yourself."

Raven faltered for a moment before returning her determined look, "Alright, I will."

Kori smiled happily. She went back to trying on dresses as if nothing had happened, though she did occasionally cast her friend knowing looks. As much as Raven hated to admit it, it seemed like she had actually lost the argument.


	5. Chapter 5

Changeling stared Cyborg down silently. His friend seemed confused, possibly alarmed, at the intensity of his gaze. In a swift motion, Garfield pulled his silk tie around his neck, crossed it, pulled it within itself, and finished a perfect windsor _without looking_.

Cyborg burst out laughing, "You been practicing all this time, green bean?"

Gar smirked, "You see, tin man, I have matured exponentially over the years and have gained a variety of new skills. Just ask the ladies."

"Oh, yeah," Cyborg said, dramatically rolling his eyes, "The ladies know. _All_ of the Jump City ladies know."

Behind him, Garfield heard the common room doors open, and smelled the familiar citrus perfume that Kori wore.

"Well," Cyborg continued in a low voice with a sigh, " _Almost_ all of the ladies."

"You look dashing, friends!" Kori called. His ears picked up Raven's voice, mumbling something too low and far away for him to understand, though he could swear his own name was mentioned.

 _Remember what Mento said. Focus on keeping your body calm, and your mind will follow._

Garfield stuck his hands in his pockets to wipe the sweat off of his palms and inhaled deeply. After the incident with Raven, he knew he had to work harder to keep his emotions in check. So what if she didn't want him? He could deal with that, or he could at least pretend to.

**O***O***O***O**

"Garfield, is something wrong?" Mento had asked as soon as he picked up the call years ago.

"Uhm, not really," Beast Boy had stammered, "Well, sort of. It's not urgent, really, but I had a question for you, if you don't mind, uh, answering."

Mento fixed him with a stern look. Beast Boy dreaded talking with him, but also looked forward to it immensely. It was a strange relationship.

"So," he continued when Mento didn't respond, "What's going on is - well, my question is - how do you keep your mind from being read? Like, is there a way to make it harder?"

"Ah!" Mento's expression turned just a bit less stern, "Are you fighting a mind reader?"

"Uhm, something like that. Kind of more of an emotions-reader, but it's close enough."

Mento looked confused, "Don't you have an empath on your team? Is she not able to help?"

Beast Boy momentarily panicked. Why hadn't he thought of a reason to ask this? He couldn't give the real reason. That would be mortifying.

"I mean, yeah, Raven is...okay," he winced, "But, you're the best, Mento, and if I want to be the best too, I thought I should ask you!"

B _oy, am I usually this much of a suck up?_ Gar thought. _There's no way he's going to buy -_

"Well, I can't argue with that!" Mento exclaimed. Gar had to hold in his laughter as Mento explained tricks to keep his mind clear. Mostly, keep his breathing and heart rate in check. Doing that, his mind would be too distracted to freak out, and, well, freak Raven out.

 _If she doesn't want me, that's fine_ , he thought, eyes glazing over and Mento began boasting about some old encounter with a mind reader. _I don't have to be a burden, though. I can get over it so she can get over it._

**O***O***O***O**

Garfield turned around to lean leisurely against the sofa, adopting what he hoped was an uninterested expression. Kori walked further into the room, arm-in-arm with Raven and beaming. The redhead looked lovely in a pale blue dress with cap sleeves. Gar idly wondered if she was trying to model herself after the women in office that came to these events. He flicked his eyes to Raven, attempting to get an idea of what she looked like so he wouldn't be surprised, but also to do it quickly so he wouldn't look too invested in her.

His brain processed what she looked like after a beat. He glanced back at her and away again, disbelieving. Then he openly stared.

 _What the hell is she doing?!_ his brain screamed. _Why is she wearing THAT?!_

He could argue that she almost wasn't wearing anything. The dark blue material didn't seem to cover enough, but at the same time he wished it were smaller. But why, _why_ would she do this to him? Had she already forgotten the last ball? Was it so unimportant to her that she didn't consider what an outfit like this would do to his heart or his sweaty palms?

Raven caught his eye, looking alarmed. He realized that his body language was showing his anger and no doubt she could pick up on it emotionally. He looked away and stared pointedly at Starfire as she spoke to Cyborg.

 _Deep breaths. I can do this._

**O***O***O***O**

Kori had insisted she and Dick coordinate their outfits, so it was no shock when he came out wearing his traditional suit and a pale blue shirt that matched perfectly with her gown. Cyborg had added a few touches of gold to his ensemble to compliment Bumblebee, who agreed to be his date for the event and would be meeting them there. Garfield tried not to feel bitter about these tiny displays of affection. Sure, he could have brought one of his usual ladies to the event, but Dick had been very stern about not being an embarrassment to the team, and it was honestly more trouble than it was worth. Would he have felt better if there was a little cutie wearing something violet to match him? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it depended on who she was.

Gar bounced his leg anxiously on the car ride there. Cyborg glanced at him through the rear view mirror with concern, but thankfully didn't comment. He was stuck between Raven and Starfire in the back while Dick rode shotgun. How could he have grown so much and still be stuck in the middle? In the old days it was okay, but right now it meant that his left leg was just barely brushing against Raven's, and it didn't do much for his "hide your thoughts and emotions" thing. His right leg was currently losing its mind with anxiety and attempts to distract himself.

"Friend Changeling, is there a flarzorg in your shoe?" Kori asked earnestly.

"Uh...a what? Actually, no, Star. I'm good. Just nervous. Suits aren't really my thing."

Kori's eyes widened in concern, "Oh, but they are! You look most handsome! Even Raven was saying that - "

Raven coughed loudly to interrupt. Kori quickly turned to look out the window, her cheeks slightly pink.

"Nah, wait!" Cyborg yelled from the front, looking at them in the rear view again, "I wanna hear what Raven was saying about B."

Raven glared at her cybernetic friend. Kori looked upset.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to - "

"Ain't nothing to be sorry about," Cyborg interrupted, "We're all friends here, and friends compliment friends, right?"

Dick looked at Cyborg curiously, but his eyes were still on Raven. Well, Raven and the road, intermittently.

"I said he looked very nice," Raven mumbled. Kori furrowed her brows.

"Did you not say that he looked warm?" she whispered, as if they weren't in a confined space.

"Warm?" Garfield repeated, dumbfounded.

"She means hot," Dick corrected, barely suppressing a smile.

"Thank you, boyfriend!" Kori exclaimed, before looking across at Raven and dropping her voice to a whisper again, "Did you not say that he looked 'hot,' friend Raven?"

Gar couldn't bring himself to look at her, but he could feel the heat radiating off of her body. Raven had probably never blushed this much in her life. Cyborg broke the silence at last by laughing. He wheezed as tears streamed out of his human eye and pounded the steering wheel. Dick failed to restrain himself and joined in, clutching his sides. Kori giggled, but didn't really seem to know what the joke was. Raven crossed her arms and pushed back against her seat, scowling. While Gar didn't really find it funny, he also couldn't seem to stop smiling. 


	6. Chapter 6

Raven bolted out of the car as soon as Cyborg parked. She was seething at Kori, and at herself. She had been such a moron for saying that out loud in the first place. It had just kind of happened. _So Garfield got a new suit and it looks nice? Who cares?_

She fumed as she went through security. Guards looked at her warily, but knew enough of her reputation to keep their distance.

 _Idiot. Idiot. Idiot._

Raven grabbed the first glass of alcohol she saw and retreated to a table in the corner. People glanced her way, no doubt because of her dress. Everything about this night was her idiot fault.

Her breathing started to calm as she sipped on her drink, watching the people mingle. Cyborg and Bumblebee had taken to the dance floor smoothly, and Raven let her eyes glaze over as she followed their movements.

The chair next to her scraped on the floor as someone pulled it out and took a seat. Changeling placed his own glass on the table and sighed. Neither of them spoke for a moment, until he cleared his throat.

"So...I'm hot, huh?"

Raven whipped around to glare at him, but was taken aback by the playful smile on his face. His emotions were all light and happy. It occurred to her that he hadn't felt this way around her in a long time. How long? Had things really changed that much between them?

"You're teasing me," she said aloud.

"Well, duh," he replied with a laugh, "It's one of the few things I do best, Rae."

 _Rae_. Her face fell. She felt a prickling sensation in her eyes that she did not like. She didn't want to cry in public. She certainly didn't want to cry in front of Garfield.

He sensed the shift in her and looked concerned. Placing his hand over hers, he squeezed lightly.

"Hey, I'm only joking. I'm sorry. I'm really flattered. I don't want to make fun of you."

His voice was low and kind. He was full of all of those old, familiar emotions. She hadn't noticed how cold he was toward her nowadays until this moment. The change had happened so slowly. Raven bit her lip, _definitely_ worried that she might cry.

Garfield scooted his chair closer. She was wrapped in his anxiety. She looked away and back toward the dancers.

"You d-don't," her voice shook and she paused to take a breath, "You don't tease me anymore. Not like you used to."

For a moment, she felt his pain. Grief. And then it was gone. Pulled back away from her. He felt cold again. Emotionless.

"I guess I just grew up," he said flatly.

She looked back at his face, trying to figure him out. It looked blank, uninterested, bored. A hot tear rolled down her cheek. _Fuck_.

" _Raven_ ," he whispered, alarmed. He took her hand in both of his now and stroked it with his thumbs.

"Kori heard you talking once. With Cyborg. You said you were using those girls to cover up that you are hurt."

She said it quickly, before she felt like she couldn't. A slight fear tainted the air. Garfield licked his lips nervously. Raven pressed on.

"She also said that you used them to upset me."

He swallowed. The green of his skin deepened and he stared at the tablecloth. There was a rather long pause before he spoke.

"So...so, it's been a bit harder than I would like...getting over it. And I'm trying, I really am. I got help from Mento so that my feelings...my feelings don't distract you. I'm sorry this has upset you, but I am really, _really_ trying."

He looked back up at her with a pained expression. Raven looked back with confusion.

"You're...trying what?"

Now Garfield looked confused to match.

"Trying to get over you."

There was a beat of silence. Raven didn't realize exactly how much of an idiot she had been.

" _Still_?" she asked, not able to hide her surprise.

Gar dropped her hand and nearly glared at her.

"What do you mean ' _still_ '?" his voice rose in annoyance, "Not all of us can shut off our emotions at the drop of a hat."

"I do not do that!" she scoffed back, "Anyway, what about the Blonde Parade?"

"I - the what?"

"The girls. The girls you keep bringing back to the tower!"

"You call them the Blonde Parade?"

" _Garfield_."

"Right," he paused to rub the back of his neck, "I mean, sometimes you gotta run before you can walk, you know? I thought just jumping in the fray might help. Besides, I still have desires...and stuff."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"What the hell, Raven? Do you want me to just pine forever?!"

Raven opened and closed her mouth, not really able to form a reply.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Both Titans jumped and turned to face a young man who they hadn't noticed beside them.

"Is this man bothering you?" he asked harshly, gesturing at Changeling.

"No, _you're_ bothering me!" Raven snapped, her glass cracking in half. Garfield bared his fangs and let out and audible growl. The man looked appalled and turned away, walking straight toward one of the security guards.

" _Shit_ ," Raven whispered, "If we cause a scene, Dick will kill us."

"C'mon," Gar grabbed her arm and pulled her into the throng of dancers. They cast anxious glances behind them.

"They won't throw us out if we don't look like we're doing anything wrong," Gar reasoned, "They don't want to cause a scene either. Let's just dance."

He put one hand on Raven's back and immediately jerked it away when he touched her skin. He attempted to rest it on her hip, but brushed against the egregious slit in her dress. He stepped back from her with an exasperated sigh.

"What's the problem?" Raven whispered, still looking around for signs of oncoming guards.

"I don't know where to put my hands! You're all skin!"

Raven glared at him. He returned the look, and with an exaggerated motion, brought his hand up as of to place it on her breast.

"Garfield!" Raven nearly yelped, smacking his hand away, though he had kept a respectable distance.

"What do you want me to do? That's the only place that is covered!" Changeling threw his hands up on the air in a show of frustration, but Raven could see the gleam in his eye. He was playing with her.

The ridiculousness of the situation and the outpouring of both of their emotions overwhelmed her. She smothered a laugh, but involuntarily let out a snort. Garfield's eyes grew huge and he slapped his hand over his mouth, barely containing his own laughter. Nearby dancers started to stare.

" _Ahem_."

Dick's reprimanding voice cut through the crowd right at them. He was in the middle of a conversation with the governor himself on the floor, and their outburst appeared to have interrupted them. At Dick's side, Kori peered at her friends curiously, much less aggravated than her boyfriend.

"No, _shh_ , it's fine!" Gar whispered quickly, pulling Raven into his arms as he tried to control his giggles, " _Shh_. We're dancing. We're dancing."

Raven pressed her face into his suit jacket as she got control of her mirth. She recited her mantra five times in her head before she was able to surface.

Garfield was grinning, but kept good focus on leading her around the dance floor. Just a minute ago they had been arguing.

"I missed you," Raven said without really meaning to.

He looked down at her, grin slightly fading as his expression softened. He didn't ask what she meant.

"I missed you too."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence. Raven could feel his apprehension building.

"But," he continued quietly, "I don't think I can do the just friends thing anymore."

He turned them in a smooth circle. Raven drank in his emotions. Sadness, affection, joy, and something akin to hope.

"So, that's the choice, isn't it? I can either have the Garfield who is open with me, or the one who is closed off?"

"Yeah. The open one just comes with some strings attached."

"What kind of stings?" she asked warily.

Gar shrugged, "The usual relationship stuff. Dates. Talking. Kissing. Maybe I do get to touch your boob."

Raven closed her eyes, "I already told you that won't work."

"You didn't tell me why."

"Because we're heroes."

Garfield let out an angry laugh. Raven opened her eyes.

"That's bullshit and you know it, Rae. Look at Dick and Kori."

"Dick is fully human. That's not the same."

"So? Cy and Bumblebee. They've been getting real friendly."

"Still not the same."

"Kid Flash and Jinx. Mento and Elasti-Girl. Aqualad and everyone."

" _The difference is_ ," Raven explained sternly, "When Dick kisses Kori, her powers don't blow up a building."

"You think you would blow up a building if I kissed you? That good, huh?"

"Be serious, Gar."

"I am being serious."

The green Titan was slowly leading them out a side door, onto a balcony. He put away his grin for the time being.

"Rae, you're not giving yourself enough credit. You haven't blown up any buildings in years. You're lying to yourself."

His arms moved from her waist to her hands, gripping them tightly. They stopped dancing.

"Why would I lie to myself?"

The way she spoke barely counted as whispering, but he could still hear her.

"You're scared."

Raven couldn't tell whose emotions were whose. When Garfield looked at her in that way, the way he looked at her now, she felt like she was losing control.

"I get it," he said softly, "Relationship stuff is really scary, and we've both been messed up from it before."

Raven winced as she remembered that empty feeling after Malchior left. How alone she had felt.

"I know you don't let yourself feel things, and this is a big thing to feel, but you deserve to be happy. It's worth the risk. If not with me, than with...someone. Anyone. Maybe not Aqualad."

He half-smiled, showing just a little bit of his canines. She broke his gaze to stare at his chest.

"You deserve to be happy, too," Raven mumbled, "And you would be happier with someone else. Someone who isn't so mean and who doesn't throw you out of the tower window."

She heard him chuckle. She felt him move closer to her.

"What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment. Besides, at the end of the day," he paused to put his hand under her chin, tilting her face up so they looked at each other again, "I only want you."

It seemed hard to breathe. She felt that old claustrophobic feeling, but she couldn't bring herself to dislike it. His eyes were all warmth. He was all warmth, and Raven wanted to bury herself in it.

"So the question is," he continued softly, licking his lips, "What do you want, Rae?"

That _was_ the question. She didn't want things to be complicated, but she didn't want to lose this closeness. She wanted to be a good hero and focus on helping others, but, as much as she hated to admit it, she was partially human and had human desires.

Garfield tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and she had to resist the impulse to lean into his hand. It was clear that she wanted his touch, and his attention. Frequently, preferably. More than anyone else, definitely. And she really didn't want to see another member of the Blonde Parade. It wouldn't be fair for her to want him to dote on her and be content with just a friendship. To ask him to wait around and put his life on hold for her would be more than cruel. Wasn't that what he was already doing?

Raven opened her mouth to speak.

"TITANS!"

They both leaped apart at the sound of Dick's voice over their communicators.

Five years, and nothing had changed. Five years and still the moment she wanted to be close to someone, the world fell to pieces. Garfield kept looking at her, and seemed to put together what was going on in her mind. She saw his ears droop slightly, and his shoulders sag.

"We're heroes," he whispered sadly, to himself or to Raven, she didn't know.

He smoothly morphed into a cheetah and ran back into the building, leaving Raven feeling much colder outside.


	7. Chapter 7

Raven didn't even pretend to pay attention as Kori kissed her on the top of her head, biding her goodnight. Dick shot her some concerned glances before following his girlfriend to bed.

The empath sat on the common room couch, wet, post-shower hair sending the occasional drop of water down her shoulders. Apparently she didn't dry her hair well enough, which was not surprising, considering that she hadn't exactly been present since the ball. They were called off to fight...who? Someone. About something. She didn't quite remember the details. She did remember the curve of Changeling's shoulders as he jumped through the air, and the pain. He radiated pain.

The sofa springs groaned as Cyborg took a seat beside her, sighing in relief.

"Hard day, huh?" he asked.

Raven didn't respond. She was relieving the moment on the balcony, Garfield holding her hands and pouring out so much earnest emotion that she thought she might explode. The memory shifted to her bedroom, where a younger Garfield leaned in to kiss her, stopping just a hair's length away, speaking sweetly to her.

"Raven," Cyborg said, a little louder this time. She blinked and looked around at him.

"I think we need to talk," he said kindly. Raven merely blinked again.

Cyborg scooted closer and wrapped an arm around his sort-of baby sister. She rested her head on the metal of his chest, hearing the whirring mechanical sounds underneath. It was oddly comforting.

"I'm gonna say what I need to say," he said, his voice low, "You don't have to respond. I just need you to hear it."

There was a pause as he waited to see if she would indeed respond. She did not. She felt numb.

"I've watched you and him - B...Changeling - for years, and I've known this was coming for a while. I've never seen him happier than when you're in the room. That said, you don't owe him anything more than your support as a teammate. _That_ said, I've never seen you happier than when he jokes with you."

Raven closed her eyes. Cyborg rubbed her shoulder in a consoling way.

"I get that things are always going to be more complicated for you than for us, at least when it comes to relationships, but damn, Rae, you both deserve a chance. What's the point of living if you keep yourself from loving? Isn't that why we beat Trigon's big, red butt?"

"You beat him so he wouldn't end the world," Raven mumbled. Cyborg laughed.

"Yeah, there's that, but really, I think most of us did it for you. At least, green bean did. He definitely did. The point is, I don't want you regretting any part of your life. Because it's _your_ life, Raven. You don't owe it to Trigon. You don't even owe it to the people you protect. Do what makes _you_ happy. And if that isn't Changeling, that's alright, but what you do owe him is an answer. Let him really move on if he needs to."

Cyborg squeezed her shoulder. Raven hugged him back as much as she could from her angle. After a moment, he broke the embrace and stood up.

"Now, if what makes you happy _is_ Changeling...just don't hurt him. Because if you hurt him, I'll have to try to hurt you, and you'll probably kill me."

They shared a small smile before Cyborg headed toward the door.

"And if you need him, he's on the roof," Cyborg called to her. 

**O***O***O***O** 

The cool night air made goosebumps erupt on Raven's skin. She was in her pajama t-shirt and shorts, and had half a mind to go back for her cloak, but if she turned around, her courage might fail her and she wouldn't come back.

Once her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could make out the form the Changeling, laying on his back with one arm under his head, staring at the stars. He was still in his suit, which was covered in a mixture of dust and blood.

Raven softly walked over to him. He must have smelled her or heard her, though he didn't react. She sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around her knees. Neither spoke, and the silence would have once been welcomed, but now was driving her insane. She turned around to look at him and saw that his free arm was bleeding profusely.

"You're hurt!"

Garfield shrugged, "I've had worse."

"Sit up. Let me heal you."

For a moment it didn't look like he would, but he eventually pulled himself up with a groan. He pushed his jacket off gently and held out his arm. Raven slowly rolled up his sleeve (or what was left of it) and placed her hand over his cut, chanting to herself. Her hand glowed for a moment before she pulled it away, revealing freshly healed skin.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" she asked quietly.

Garfield smiled one of his painful smiles, took her hand, and placed it on his chest, over his heart.

"But I don't think you can fix that," he murmured. He kept his head tilted down, never really looking at her.

Raven swallowed. It seemed that her heart had taken up new residence in her throat.

"Actually, I think I'm the best person for the job," she said, barely making any sound.

Garfield jerked his face up to look at her. She didn't give him (or herself) time to react before leaning forward and pressing her lips against his.

She felt surprise course through his body before he reacted, wrapping one arm around her and kissing back. She laced her fingers through his, still pressing against his heart. He was warm and eager, almost growling into her mouth. Raven pulled back for a moment to catch her breath before leaning back in. Garfield quickly shifted away from her.

"Wait, uh, you didn't just do that because you felt sorry for me, right?" he asked with a nervous laugh.

Raven rolled her eyes before replying, "You vastly overestimate how effective your puppy dog eyes are."

Irritation and amusement blossomed inside of him.

"What?" he scoffed, "Chicks dig the eyes! You don't know how many times they've gotten me lai - "

Gar stopped speaking mid-sentence. Raven raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'm gonna stop talking now," he mumbled.

"Good idea," she replied, pulling him in for another kiss.

Warm. He was always so warm. Raven pressed against him until she decided that wasn't enough and climbed into his lap. He held her firmly in his arms, each Titan trying to pull the other closer than was physically possible. She could feel his mouth smiling against hers and the affection he felt was drowning her.

She pulled away for air again, but he kept kissing, moving his mouth across her cheek and down her neck. Raven shivered and ran her fingers through his hair.

"The world isn't ending," she said, more to herself than anything.

"No blown-up buildings," he whispered, nipping at her throat. Raven gasped at the action and their nearby volleyball net had a supporting pole forcibly ripped from it and flung into the ocean. Both of them stared at the ripples it left behind.

"Ah," Garfield cleared his throat, "Well, noted. Go easy on the biting."

He looked back at her with a self-satisfied smile, thankfully not commenting on her red face.

"Uhm, maybe that's enough for tonight," she suggested, suddenly hyper-aware that she was sitting on him.

He looked disappointed for a moment before perking back up.

"Sooo, more tomorrow night?"

"You're such a stereotype," she chided.

Gar widened his eyes, "Oh, I'm sorry, did you not like it? I can bite your neck again if we need clarification."

He leaned in, baring his fangs and Raven quickly jumped up.

" _Goodnight_ , Garfield."

" _Goodnight_ , Raven."

At the door, she glanced back to see him staring at her, eyes and teeth gleaming in the moonlight. His happiness was pouring off of him, along with some darker emotions. She shivered from something that wasn't cold, and quickly slipped back into the tower. 


End file.
